Projectile



E. S. PHELPS.

PROIECTILE.

APPLICATION man. APR.15.1918.

1,321,667, Patented Nov. 1-1, 1919.

rnoJEcrrLIi.,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it knownthat I, EDWIN S. PHELPS, a-

citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of N ew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of ieference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to projectiles, more particularly for heavy guns or ordnance. It has for its" objects to provide a multiple or two part projectile which upon projection from the muzzle of the gun will have its parts separated by explosion or centrifugal force generated in tra-vel of the projectile through the barrel or bore of the gun, the separation of the parts being controlled or governed by time mechanism, and the separated parts being held together in spaced relation to each other by suitable connecting means, preferably a'ieXible connection such as a cable or chain, so that in the flight of the projectile its separted parts and connecting means will cover a relatively large area and thus engage whatever may be within its effective working area.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in the features hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a pait hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section throughA the forward portion of the hollow projectile or shell, exclusive of the powder or explo- -sive containing chamber, showing one half Of the projectile and contained. devices;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the protile' Fig. 3 is a detail of a part of the time set or release device on the section 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a broken portion of the front or v head of the projectile, showing the setting time dial;

Fig. 5 is a detail of one element of the release mechanism.

In the drawing the numeral 1 designates Specification of Letters Patent.

the projectile portion of the shell which under the present invention is hollow and divided longitudinally into two parts or halves 2 and 3. The twok parts are joined together along one edge by a separable knuckle oint as indicated at 4. and are nor mal-ly locked together along the other edge Patented Nov` i1, i919. Application filed April 1 5, 1918. .Serial No. 228,649v l by a separable lock-bolt joint preferably consisting of interlacing collars 5, one set of which will be attached to one half of the projectile and the other set to the adjoining half. Through both sets will pass a slidable locking bolt 6 which when extended through the two sets of collars willL lock theI two halves of the projectile together and` when withdrawn will permit one half of the projectile to separate from the other half. The locking bolt will normally be held in position to lock the halves together against the tension of a spring 7 coiled around the bolt and bearing at one end against one of the interlacing collars and at the other end bearing against a fixed colla-r 8 on the bolt, the eXpansion of said spring when released serving to. eject or withdraw the locking bolt so that the halves of the projectile may separate. Thebolt is held in its locking position by a locking dog 9 suitably pivoted within the projectile, for instance, from a bracket 10, or otherwise, so that its nose will bear against a shoulder l1 on the bolt while against the heel of the dog will bear a catch l2, suitably pivoted to a supporting bracket 13, o r otherwise. This catch is designed to be released at a predetermined time by a suitable time controlled device so that when released the locking dog will turn on its pivot under the pressure exerted by the spring around the locking bolt and the bolt permitted to be slidably disengaged from the interlacing collars so that the halves of the projectile may separate. The'ineans for controlling the catch to hold and to release the locking dog preferably consists of a disk 14: secured to a rotatable post or shaft 15 supported bya suitable bearing, for in Seo 27 having a head 28 at one end lying nor- I mally within the explosive charge containing chamber (not shown) which will be on theopposite side of the Wall 29 which will separate the projectile from the charge containing chamber, said rod being capable of sliding under the power of the explosive so as to move the brake-stop-out of engagement with the balance'vy'blade and permit the spring on the barrel to rotate the shaft which carriesvthe'disk that holds the catch in positionto normally secure the locking dog in engagement with the slidable bolt which locks the tvvo halves of the projectile together.

In order that the holding catch of the bolt locking dog may permit the release of the catch at a predetermined time7 the disk 14: is formed with a depression or recess 3G so that when in the rotation of the disk the recess is brought opposite to an anti-friction roller 31 on the catch 12, the roller will pass into the recess and the other end of the catch moved from the heel of the locking dog 9 so that the dog will turn on its pivot under the pressure exerted from the spring around the locking bolt and the bolt released so as to permit separation of the halves of the projectile. The period forV release is determined by the time taken for travel or rotation of the disk 14 to bring itsv recess opposite the roller end of catch 12.A rhis is fixed or set by positioning the recess ofthe disk in relation to the roller'end of the catch that a longer or shorter time will be required for the recess to reach a position opposite the roller end of the catch, and this is effected by rotation of the shaft orpost 15 and the corresponding winding up of the spring in the. barrel mounted on the shaft. This winding is effected by the application of a key (not shown) to the end of the shaft so as to turn or Wind it, and for the purpose of determining the extent of winding rotation to bring the recess of the disk and roller end of the catch into register at the predetermined time, a dial is provided marked preferably 'with divisions of seconds of time so that by turning the shaft to an extent indicated by the dial the device is set for releasing operation at a pretermined time, the several parts being properly proportioned for Such operation. The preferred form and location of the setting dial 32 in indicated in Figs. 1 and 4l of the drawing,.where the dial, scaled with second divisions of time, is mounted on the end of the Winding post 15 and shaped to conform to the conoidal shaped end of the projectile so as to turn with the Winding post, an index finger or marking 33 being also shown as inscribed on the exterior of the projectile. According to the extent of Winding rotation given to the winding post it will take the recessed disk one or more seconds to travel the distance to bring its recess and roller end of .the catch into register so as to permit separation 0f halves of tlie projectile and thus` the time for effective work of the projectile is predetermined. In Winding up the time setting shaft the blades of the balance fly wheel' being elastic or flexible will slip over or past the brake-stop on the brake-release shaft, although said shaft might be longitudinally shifted to move the brake-stop from engaging position With the fiy balance Wheel when Winding up the time setting shaft.

For the purpose of holding the tivo halves of the projectile together, although at distances apart from each other, when the. halveshave become separated, one half is connected to the other preferably by a chain or flexible cable 3l, one end being attached to one half and the other end to the other half as shown. To relieve strain on the chain or cable as the halves of the projectile are forced apart and away from each other, the cable vmay be provided with springs 35, located at any desired positions, and in order that the vcable may swivel Where the springs are applied the springs may be contained Within a swiveled frame Work 36 as illustrated and thus the twisting of the cable will be prevented or lessened. The, cable may be confined Within a selected portion of the projectile by a partition 37 so as not to become entangled in the time set mechanism; and if desired any suitable casing or housing may be provided for the time set mechanism but not illustrated because its provision and form is Within the skill and judgment? of the mechanic.

rlhe projectile may be provided with the usual copper encircling band or flange for engagement with the rifling of the gun 'bore and as the same is Well known need not be illustrated.

have illustrated and described the preferred and what is regarded as the best form of the invention but the details are possible of many variations Without departure from the essential features.

When the projectile reaches the point or object at Which it has been directed and for Which the time mechanism has been set to release the. halves of the projectile7 the holdthrown apart from each other by the cenfrifugal force generated or produced by the rifling of the gun and acting in the nature of an explosion by the force thus generated, so that the two halves Will batter or shatter the object with which they 00m@ im j craft the separated halves of the projectile and connecting cable have a greater range of action and possibility ot' engaging andy practically destroying the operative parts ot the aeroplane or ship. Other advantages or' the scope and eiliciency of the destroyer will be appreciated by those skilled in the art without enlargement thereon in this description.

.Having described my invention and set 'forth its merits, what I claim is:

1. A projectile formed of a multiple of longitudinally separable parts, releasable means positioned within the projectile for locking the parts together, and means for connecting one part to the other in spaced relation to each other- `when separated;

Q. A projectile formed of a multiple of separable parts, means for locking the parts together, and a time setting device for preventing separation ot the parts until a predetermined time.

3. A projectile formed of a multiple ofseparable parts, means for locking the parts together, a time setting device for preventing separation of the parts until a predetermined time, and means Jfor connecting one part to the other inspaced relation to each other when separated.

et. A projectile formed of a multiple of separable parts, means for locking the parts together, and a time setting device for preventing separation of the parts until a predetermined time, said device including a cam-like member associated With a part of the locking means, and means for adjusting the cam-like member in relation to the associated part of the locking means to release the locking means.

5. A projectile formed of a multiple of separable parts, means for locking the parts together, and a time setting device for preventing separation oic the parts until a predetermined time, said device including a cam-like member associated with a part of the locking means, means for adjusting the cam-like member in relation to the associated part of the locking means, and means for exerting a restraining influence on the movement of the cam-like member.

6. A projectile formed of a multiple of separable parts, means for locking the parts together, and a time setting device for preventing separation of the parts until a predetermined time, said device including a cam-like member associated with a part of the locking means, means for adjusting the cam-like member in relation to the associated part of the locking means, and a brakestop for releasing the time setting device to operative condition.

7. A projectile formed of a multiple of separable parts, means for locking the parts together, and a time setting device for preventing separation of the parts until a pre.- determined time, said device comprising a Winding post, a cam-like member carried by the post and in operative relation to a part of the locking means, a propelling spring and gear connected with the post, a pinion meshing with said gear and a fly Wheel de.- vice connected with said pinion, a brake releasestop, and means for connecting the separable parts together in a spaced relation to each other when separated.

In testimony whereorl I aiiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDVIN SANFORD PHELPS. lVitnesses:

C. A. RYLEY, A. B. GILLESPIE. 

